Processes for obtaining commercially useful uranium isotopes from uranium ore are well known. The processes typically comprise converting the naturally occurring uranium in the ore which contains several uranium isotopes to uranium hexafluoride Desirable uranium isotopes, such as U.sup.235, are then extracted from the uranium hexafluoride by an enrichment process. The depleted uranium hexafluoride resulting from the enrichment process is a byproduct that is substantially depleted of U.sup.235 and other desirable isotopes while rich in the less useful uranium isotopes such as U.sup.238. Thus, depleted uranium hexafluoride has little commercial value, but is nevertheless somewhat radioactive and represents a difficult disposal problem.
Since no known safe and cost-effective method has been developed for disposing of depleted uranium hexafluoride, over the past several decades large quantities of the material have simply been encased in carbon steel cylinders and stored therein until a disposal alternative is developed. Clearly, storage of depleted uranium hexafluoride in its radioactive condition is not a long term solution to the problem because, although the material is relatively inert in the cylinder, exposure of the cylinder to the storage environment for a lengthy period of time can corrode the cylinder from the outside. If corrosion compromises the integrity of the cylinder, the resulting release of the noxious material to the environment, even in small quantities, creates a significant safety hazard.
While others have employed the chemical equations mentioned in the present invention, none has achieved the objectives of the present invention, or achieved the objects of the present invention in the manner those objectives are achieved in the present invention. The method of the present invention produces a commercially useful, valuable, almost pure hydrogen fluoride from depleted uranium fluoride produced as a byproduct of other reactor processes (the "Basic Processes"). Further the method of the present invention produces a residue product of U.sub.3 O.sub.8, a byproduct which is far more easily disposable because U.sub.3 O.sub.8 is less toxic than the usual and conventional byproducts of the Basic Processes.
Accordingly, a longstanding need exists for a method of disposing of depleted uranium hexafluoride. A method is particularly needed which is environmentally safe and cost-effective. More particularly, a need exists for a method of disposing of the material which provides an essentially permanent disposition thereof.